Plug for sadirons



Aug. 5 1924.

T. J. MADIGAN PLUG FOR swmous Filed Jan. '7, 1922 IN l/E/V TOR Thoma: J/ /a dz'gcm.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UNITED STATES 4 rename a a THOMAS J. MLDIGAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PLUG FOR SADIIRONS.

Application filed January 7, 1922. Serial m5. 527,584.

irons, and relates particularly to a new and.

lmproved construction of connecting plug. The terminals of the circuit of the heating element in irons of this character are usually in the form of pins, and the plug carries sockets, into which the pins are pushed when theconnection is made. The pins in different types of irons differ in cross-sectional shape, and in cross-sectional area, and the sockets are usually resilient and expansible, to receive pins of different size and cross-section, and to tightly grasp the pins, thereby to make a good electrical connection.

In the iron forming the subject-matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 516,- 302, filed November 19, 1921, a circuit controlling switch is shown, disposed adjacent to the grip or handle of the iron, in such position that it may be closed and held closed by the fingers of the user when grasping the handle. The switch is interposed in a loop in one of the lead wires of the flexible member, by means of which the current of the heating element of the iron is connected to the lighting circuit.

For convenience in manufacture, and for esthetic reasons, I prefer to extend the loop from within the plug, and to so arrange the parts, that when the sections of the plug are released, the connections and the lead wires will all be connected with one'section of the plug, leaving the other entirely free.

Y In the present invention, I provide a plug having sockets of this character, each composed of two sections, one carried by each plug section, and cooperating to provide a resilient socket, when the plug sections are secured together. I also arrange the socket sections in such manner that when the plug sections are secured together, the mere clamping of the plug sections together makes a good electrical connection between the sections of the respective sockets. I provide also a permanent connection bein the county of New York, .short circuiting, and

socket sections 11 tween the lead wires and the socket sections, which cannot become accidentally loosened or released, with consequent liability to wherein the clamping of the plug sections together acts to make the connection more perfect. In addition,

so construct the socket sections and the plug sections, that the socket sections may be firmly attached to the plug sections, without the necessity for screws, rivets, bolts or the like.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of a sad iron provided with the improved plug, and with the handle partly broken away, Figure 2 is a topplan view of the switch,

Figure 3 is a view looking from the inner side to one of the plug sections,

Figure 4 is a similar view of the other section,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section of the plug.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a sad iron consisting of a body 1, and a handle 2, connected to the bod in spaced relation by plates 3, one of which carries the usual plug socket 4. The terminals of the circuit for the heating element in the body of the iron are connected with pins 5. and these pins are adapted to engage resilient sockets in the connecting plug 66, which is connected to a cut-in plug for a lighting circuit by a flexible member 7, which carries lea-d wires 8 and 9.

The plug is composed of similar sections 6 and 6 secured together in any suitable or desired manner, as for instance by screws and bolts. Each section is recessed on its inner face, as indicated at 10 to receive the and 12, the plug section 6 carrying the sections 11, while the plug section 6 carries the socket sections 12. The socket sections 11 and 12 are alike with the exception that each section 12 has a struck-up hook or lug 13 on its inner face, over which the lead wire may be looped, to make the connection between the wire and the socket section. Referring to Figures 3 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that each socket section 11 and 12 has one end split and rounded into trough shape, and the corresponding socket sections of the two plug sections are so arranged, that when the plug sections are secured together the socket sec tions will be disposed in cooperative relation to form resilient sockets for the pins 5. Referring to Figures 3 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that the recesses 10 of the plug sections have transverse ribs 14, and that the upper ends of the socket sections are bent to form transverse shoulders, which engage these ribs, to hold the socket sections in place in the plug sections. Just above the split, each socket section is ofiset laterally toward the other section, and the end remote from the split is bent parallel with the shoulder formed between the offset portion and the split end of the section. Thus two shoulders are formed, which engage the ribs 14, and hold the socket section in place in the plug section. Each socket section is thus held in place in the plug section, without any extraneous fastening means, as for instance rivets, screws and the like. In making the connection between the lead wires and the socket sections 12, the denuded ends of the wires are looped about the hooks or lugs 13, and the hooks are then pressed down on to the denuded ends. When the plug sections are secured together, the socket sections 11 press against the hooks 13, and hold them tightly down upon the denuded wires. In Figure 3, the'connection of the lead wires is shown diagrammatically. The wire 8 passes into the registering recesses 10 of the plug sections at the top of the plug, the sections being recessed at this point, as indicated at 15, to permit the entrance of the lead wires. One wire is connected to a socket section 12, and the other passes out through an opening 16 in the section 6, and is connected to one of the contact plates 17 of the switch. Another wire 18 passes from the other contact plate 19.0f the switch through another opening 16 in the section 6*, and is connected to the other socket section 12. Each of the sockets has four resilient tongues for engaging the adjacent pin 5 of the heating element circuit, and when the plug sections are secured together, the sections of each socket are clamped firmly together, against the possibility of any displacement, and the tighter the pressure, the more perfect the electrical connection. a

The switch is arranged within a recess in the handle 2 of the iron, and includes a base 20 to which the contact plates 17 and 19 are connected in spaced relation. The switch comprises members 21 and 22 pivotally connected. The member 22 is pivoted at 23 to the base, and the member 21 carries cylindrical contact buttons 24, which engage and connect the contact. plates 17 and 19. Springs 25 are provided in connection with the members 21 and 22, and act normally to hold said members with the contact buttons 21 out of contact with the plates 17 and 19, that is with the switch in open position. The switch is moved into closed position by means of a-switch arm 26 whose body portion is disposed below. the handle 2, in position to be engaged by the fingers of the user of the iron when the handle is grasped. The arm has an angular extension 27, which engages over a pin 28 in the switch base, and pivotally connects the arm to the base, and the angular extension 27 engages a pin 29 on the member 22 of the switch, to operate said switch. When the switch arm is moved into the broken line position of Figure 1, the con tact buttons 21 are moved into engagement with the contact plates 17 and 19, as indicated in broken lines. As soon however, as the switch arm is released, the springs 25 move the switch to open position. The'wires 8 and 18 enter at the adjacent end of the handle, and between the plug and the handle they are preferably covered by beads 80, which may be of insulating material, as for instance glass or porcelain. These beads protect against wearing away of the insulation on the wires between the handle and the plug. The peculiar arrangement of the socket sect-ions inv the plug sections leaves the socket sections completely covered by the plug sections, which are usually of nonconducting material, as for instance hard rubber, so that there is no liability to short circuiting through engagement of metallic fastenings means with objects of conducting material. The members 21 and 2 2 of the switch are so arranged with respect to the contact plates 17 and 19, that the contact buttons engage said contact plates with a sliding contact, thereby operating to clean the engaging surfaces.

I claim:

1. A connecting plug for electrically heated sad irons composed of similar insu lating sections, each carrying a pair of socket sections symmetrically positioned in the meeting faces of the plug sections so that when the plug sections are secured together the corresponding members of the pairs of socket sections will 'be electrically connected and disposed in cooperative relation toform a resilient socket, and an integral hook on one section of each pair engaged by the other section when the plug sections are secured together to clamp said hook on the lead wire.

2. A connecting plug for electrically heated sad irons composed of similar insulating sections, each carrying a pair of socket sections symmetrically positioned in the meeting faces of the plug sections so that when the plug sections are secured together the corresponding members of the pairs of socket sections will be electrically connected and disposed in cooperative relation to form a resilient socket, and a hook struck-up from one socket section of each pair over which a lead wire may be looped to connect said wire to the socket.

' 3. A connecting plug comprising, a pair imity to one another when said sections are of similar sections having co-operating secured together so as to clamp a lead wire 10 meeting faces and two registering channels between them, said resilient fingers of each in each face, a conducting member in each pair of conducting members co-operating to 5 channel having a neck portion and terminatform a resilient socket supported free of the ing in resilient fingers, said neck portions walls of the channels. being firmly engaged by their respective In testimony whereof I atfix my si ature. plug sections and brought into close prox- THOMAS J. MADI AN. 

